Who is Nigel Huckle?
Nigel Huckle is a persistent and ambitious performer with a streak of realistic optimism. He is the son of a Sri Lankan-Australian, and is an American immigrant himself, so there are many places that Nigel calls home.
What would you do differently to what you do now?
Nothing. I am where I am now because I trusted myself to do what I needed to do, and though I have plenty of moments of self-doubt – like any performer – I am confident that what I bring to the table is enough. If you had asked me this even two years ago, my outlook would have been much different.
Who inspires you and why?
I am inspired by teachers. Every time I reach a goal or achievement, I think about how well my teachers prepared me and helped me develop my skills. I send thanks to them across the world pretty much every time I have a ‘yes!’ moment. The fact that they give their life’s work to creating those moments for people is incredibly inspiring to me.
What would you do to make a difference in the world?
I’d like to inspire people to be civically engaged. Knowledge is power, and we have to commit ourselves to knowing what’s going on so that when we see things that are unjust, we can speak truth to power. I learned that from my girl Senator Kamala Harris from California.
Favourite holiday destination and why?
Tokyo was pretty epic. It’s so massively cosmopolitan, you can find anything you want there. And the layout of the city is mind-blowing in that any corner you look around you may find a brand new block to explore.
When friends come to town, what attraction would you take then to, and why?
I find nothing more Melburnian than the Hosier Lane street art – so that’s always on the list to take someone new to the city. The Shrine of Remembrance is also a beautiful spot to have a good look at Melbourne’s colours.
What are you currently reading?
Find Me by André Aciman.
What are you currently listening to?
I am a big politics nerd, so my podcasts of choice are Crooked Media’s Pod Save America and Slate’s Political Gabfest.
Happiness is?
A day with nothing on my iCal after maybe several days of productive work. A cold beer in a glass on a thirty degree day (that’s eighty six degrees for my American friends reading this).
What does the future hold for you?
We’ll just have to keep our eyes peeled, won’t we?
Nigel stars in Manilla Street Productions‘ Amazing Grace, New York New York at the National Theatre, St Kilda: 31 January – 2 February 2020. For more information, visit: www.nationaltheatre.org.au for details.
Image: Nigel Huckle (supplied)